One man's trials and tribulations in building a top-class BMW E21 (that's 3-series to you uneducated folks) on a shoestring budget while balancing the needs of his other cars - and that thing called real life...

1 June 2010

A Compact, A Breakdown And A Hillclimb

Racked up close to 300 miles from Friday in the new E21, was helping my mate with his engine swap (no pics at his request) in his E36 'M3' Compact, so had to drive up to Wickham. I've not done that much mileage in it and as I've just serviced it, so thought I'd rack up the miles for a while in it.
It repays me by conking out. In the middle lane of Euston Road, opposite Euston station. Grrreat, picked your spot well... I push it into a nearby street and go through the usual drill under bonnet to try & locate the problem; conclude that I can't get it started with the tools I have and go into the reception of the University College London building I've parked outside to get pen & paper to make up a sign to keep the warden at bay. The bloke at the desk goes:
- "That's an E21 isn't it?" (he can see it from his desk on CCTV)
- "Er, yeah."
- "I used to have one of those."
Turns out he's a BMW nut and has owned several, including an E30 M3 and an E24 635csi. After chatting for about half an hour, I go back outside and have one more look under the bonnet before the breakdown lorry comes. For all of the cranking over, there's no smell of fuel. Notice the fuse for the fuel pump isn't sitting in it's holder properly.
SORTED!Saturday: We went to Enfield Pageant to get various bits & bobs for his car; somehow subconsciously I've manage to find the only other E21 at he whole show, an X-reg Kasmir Gold 323i. Bloody wish my camera phone battery hadn't conked out.Sunday: Crystal Palace Hillclimb.

Check out my other post on this and this excellent Flickr album (not mine):